1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image forming apparatus that includes a sheet storage portion configured to temporarily store a sheet on which an image is formed in an apparatus body.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a conventional image forming apparatus (e.g., a copy machine or a printer) that includes a sheet storage portion capable of temporarily storing sheets in the apparatus body in such a way as to prevent each printed image-formed sheet from being seen by other users so that respective users can securely receive their own sheets.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-125909, there is a conventional image forming apparatus including a plurality of sheet storage portions that can temporarily store printed image-formed sheets in an apparatus body, in addition to an ordinary discharge tray that is provided on an upper surface of the apparatus body and can be commonly used by a plurality of users. The sheets stored in these sheet storage portions cannot be seen by other users from the outside of the apparatus body. According to the above-mentioned conventional image forming apparatus, the plurality of sheet storage portions can be allocated to a plurality of users and each sheet can be distributed to a sheet storage portion allocated to a corresponding user. When an individual user receives sheets from the image forming apparatus, the user instructs the image forming apparatus to perform a discharge operation. The image forming apparatus discharges the sheets stored in a sheet storage portion allocated to the discharge operation instructing user to the outside of the apparatus body. Thus, respective users can receive their own sheets (printed image-formed sheets) securely without being seen by other users.
However, the image forming apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-125909 has an opening through which the sheets stored in respective sheet storage portions can be discharged to the outside of the apparatus body. Further, a discharge tray is provided to stack the sheets discharged through the opening. However, according to the above-mentioned image forming apparatus including the dedicated discharge tray, the apparatus size and costs will increase significantly. On the other hand, it may be feasible to cause each sheet to partly expose to the outside beyond the opening instead of providing the above-mentioned discharge tray. Employing the latter configuration is advantageous in that the apparatus size and costs do not increase because the dedicated discharge tray is not required.
However, a user may fail to pick up a sheet partly exposed from the image forming apparatus through the opening. In this case, the sheet will be left for a long time in a partly exposed state. Other user may erroneously pick up the sheet if the sheet is continuously left in a partly exposed state.